Issue Date: October, 2009
Serves: Serves 4
Pairings:
Courtesy of:

Chef Michael Farrell, Le Meritage

Ingredients:

Pork and Marinade Ingredients

• 1 16-ounce pork tenderloin 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh picked thyme
• 1 tablespoon molasses

Cauliflower Purée Ingredients

• 1/2 head cauliflower
• olive oil, as needed to coat
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup milk

Fig Compote Ingredients

• 8 fresh figs, tops removed
• pinch cinnamon
• pinch nutmeg (optional)
• 1 tablespoon red wine
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

Frissé Ingredients

• large head frissé lettuce
• extra-virgin olive oil, as needed to coat
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Pork and Marinade Instructions
Cut pork into 4 equal portions to make 4 small filets. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over filets in bowl and let sit in refrigerator for 12 hours.

Cauliflower Purée Instructions
Cut cauliflower into small pieces, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place on sheet pan and roast in a 350ºF oven until golden brown, approximately 25 minutes.

Place roasted cauliflower in blender and add chicken stock and milk. Purée until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste. Use your preference on the thickness adding more milk for a thinner purée. Keep warm or reheat when you are ready to use.

Fig Compote Instructions
Place the figs, cinnamon, nutmeg, if using, and wine in a food processor. Purée the mixture using the pulse function until you achieve a “jammy” consistency. Salt and pepper to taste, reserve at room temperature until needed.

Frissé Instructions
Trim the brown skin off the bottom of the head of the frissé, but don’t cut the stem completely off of the lettuce. (This holds the leaves together.)  Carefully cut the whole head into four pieces. Lightly toss these in a bowl with extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside for grilling.

Completing the dish: Grill the pork filets to medium rare or your doneness preference. When the filets are cooked, remove from the grill and let the meat rest.

Prepare the plates by putting a large spoonful of cauliflower purée on the plate and spreading it with the back of the spoon to resemble a teardrop.  Slice the pork in half horizontally and fan out on plate. Place a dollop of fig purée on the pork.

Place the frissé on the grill and keep turning it; it will wilt slightly and get a little charred, this should take about 30 seconds total. This should be done very last; plate the lettuce next to the sliced pork and serve.